Public Statements

Statement

Governor Dannel P. Malloy today received an interim report from the Sandy Hook Advisory Commission (SHAC) that outlines areas of consideration on the issues of gun violence prevention and school safety, among other issues.

"First off, I want to offer my profound thanks to Scott Jackson and the rest of the members of the commission for continuing to devote a tremendous amount of time and effort to this important process," said Governor Malloy.

"All of us in government have engaged in a lengthy debate on the best way to move forward following the horrific events of December 14. The interim report from the commission represents another step in identifying the policies and laws that will make our children and, indeed, our entire state safer. The commission's recommendations on school safety are especially worthy of consideration this session as we negotiate the biennial budget, and I look forward to working with legislative leaders to implement such measures.

"As I said last week, the deliberations of this commission have mirrored the many conversations that are happening in homes around our state right now.

"As you know, I have proposed and the General Assembly is considering a set of strong, common sense measures that includes universal background checks, stricter firearm storage requirements, restrictions on the size of magazines, and a total ban on the sale or purchase of many dangerous weapons, including the weapon used in the Sandy Hook massacre. While I do not advocate a retroactive ban on the possession of firearms that are legally owned under current law, there are residents of our state who support such measures, and their views, along with the views of the staunchest defenders of the Second Amendment, have a place in this conversation.

"I believe we can pass meaningful legislation that achieves common sense gun violence prevention measures and that we can do it in a way that many gun owners will agree with.

"I am hopeful that we can come to an agreement soon. Our residents, who by all accounts support many of the proposals that we are considering, have waited long enough.

"I appreciate and look forward to seeing the results of the commission's continued work," concluded Governor Malloy. "They must still examine some very tough but very critical issues, including mental health. Making Connecticut a safer state will take comprehensive reforms, and I believe the commission, under the management of Scott Jackson, will produce a road map to achieving that goal."

To date, the commission has heard nearly 40 hours of testimony from many experts, including representatives from the tragedies at Virginia Tech, Columbine and Aurora. The hearings have so far focused on school security, gun violence prevention, emergency management planning and response, and school crisis response.

Their next meeting is scheduled for Friday, March 22, where they will delve into the issue of how to improve mental health services.

Information on the Sandy Hook Advisory Commission can be found on its website at www.ct.gov/SHAC and includes a link to download the interim report and details on how to contact its members.